Sandra‘s Closet

After a year like no other, supporting and celebrating feels more important than ever for NET-A-PORTER that showcase their #PowerToChange commitment by collaborating with incredible female designers to create an exclusive INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EDIT, reflecting the designers’ personal interpretation of female empowerment. 13 exclusive pieces across ready-to-wear, lifestyle and jewelry, with 100 percent of the NET-A-PORTER profits donated to Women for Women International, helping women living in war-torn countries rebuild their lives and creating lasting change in their communities.

To showcase these 13 exclusive fabulous pieces, some incredible women have been invited to wear these T-shirts with pride, among them supermodel, mother, writer and activist Coco Rocha, Interior designer, culinary storyteller and entertaining expert Athena Calderone and Model, student and co-author of Mixed Feelings, Naomi Shimada, just to name a few.

The exclusive collection consists of nine T-shirts, designed by Stella McCartney, Emilia Wickstead, Westman Atelier, Tove, Anya Hindmarch, Jennifer Fisher, Simone Rocha, Amina Muaddi and Ninety Percent; jewelry by Roxanne Assoulin and Alighieri, and homeware by Anissa Kermiche.

Model and LGBTQ+ campaigner Teddy Quinlivan sports Westman Atelier’s ‘FORCE FEMININE’ T-shirt.

«Nothing is more powerful than women connecting, inspiring and advocating for
each other which is why I’m so honored to be supporting Women for Women International. We have to invest in those who are held back by social, cultural and economic inequality. Women are the driving force of change.» – Gucci Westman / Wetsman Atelier

Author, writer and founder of Gal-Dem – the award-winning media company committed to sharing the perspectives of people of color from marginalized communities – Liv Little is wearing the Tove ‘Womanhood’ embroidered T-shirt.

In addition to the donation of 100 percent of profits from the sales within this collection, for every public post tagged #PowerToChange, @womenforwomen and @netaporter on TikTok or Instagram, between now to March 8, 2021, NET-A-PORTER will donate $1 to Women for Women International.  I encourage you to take part in this, so please do share your posts and pledges!

TO SHOP THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EDIT, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Net-à-Porter
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Last week, I attended the Diesel Black Gold S/S 2014 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal in New York City, such an amazing location to host a runway presentation.

For Andreas Melbostad‘s second season, he describes his inspiration like this: “A new ease of attitude by combining opposing icons to express strength and fearlessness”. The collection evolves its iconic staples to include a new, courageous fragility: metal eyelets, discs, zippers, buckles and hardware accents introduce luxe industrial elements, for a range of pieces, from leather to georgette. Lighter, softer materials – silk crepe de chine, silk georgette, cotton poplin, cotton voile – are juxtaposed against the collection’s utilitarian core of leather and denim.

I love the jeans that come with a more slouchy fit at the hips and deep rolled cuffs at the ankle. A pastel leather moto jacket will definitely be on my wish list. The only question is white, icy blue or baby pink?

LoL, Sandra

Designer Andreas Melbostad whom I met the first time this spring in Zurich (For the previous post, please click here please).

Front row: Renzo Rosso framed by Coco Rocha to the left and Kanye West to the right

Photos: Courtesy of Diesel Black Gold and © Sandra Bauknecht

Here is your exclusive preview of Longchamp‘s new S/S 2013 video that will debut tomorrow on February 12, 2103. This awesome campaign will put you in a good mood. Turn up the volume and you should be dancing…

I have to admit that I am sometimes feeling like Coco Rocha at the security check. I feel the urge to get those grumpy people to smile.

The old TWA terminal’s minimalistic design at JFK in New York reflects the architectural theme of the new S/S 2013 collection. Highlighting the season’s star bags: Longchamp 3D, LM Cuir and Gatsby Sport, Coco Rocha is set in scene as the glamorous, cosmopolitan traveler running to catch her plane, grabbing her bags from the luggage carousel, and passing through security.

The S/S 2013 collection is also dominated by the Finca Luisa statement print in saturated shades, structured shapes and an architectural vision. Exclusively created for Longchamp, this graphic motif was inspired by the houses characteristic of South American estates (finca in Spanish) and is a playful tribute to the Mexican architect Luis Barragàn, celebrated for his use of bold block color.

LoL, Sandra

Longchamp 3D Bag

Longchamp Gatsby Sport Bag

Stills, ad and runway photos: Courtesy of Longchamp, Photos showroom: © Sandra Bauknecht

Another blockbuster fashion event took place this week in NYC. One evening after the Maison Martin Margiela with H&M launch party, Donatella Versace hosted a cocktail party to celebrate the opening of her new Versace boutique in Soho on 160, Mercer Street followed by a dinner at the Waldorf Towers.

A huge variety of celebrities chose to attend both events, with everyone from Gerard Butler and Kanye West to supermodel Linda Evangelista and close friend of the House Lady Gaga.

Carrying both menswear and womenswear ready-to-wear collections in addition to accessories, the store will also house special collaborations.

Kicking off the shop’s opening, Donatella Versace tapped Christopher Kane, who also creates the Versus line, to design a capsule collection of tees and other items with iconic Versace images pulled from the archives, which will be sold exclusively at the Soho store. With printed T-shirts being so à la mode, be sure that those tops will activate another fashion hype!

Below, find a complete list of celebrities who chose to wear Versace:

Donatella Versace entered the cocktail party at the boutique in a Fall 2012 black corset top with a Swarovski encrusted jewelled cross emblem on the front with a velvet pencil skirt (see photo below with Princess Charlene of Monaco).  She changed later for the dinner into another look from Fall 2012 (as you can see above with Lady Gaga) – she was perfect in a black Versace leather top with crescent-shaped neckline with Swarovski crystal details and Versace leather pants, completely embedded with Swarovski crystal details from the knee down.

Princess Charlene of Monaco wore a chic black Versace cocktail dress paired with thigh-high leather Versace runway boots with a gold capped-toe. She finished her look with a black Versace cashmere waistcoat with leather inserts.

Linda Evangelista wore a black velvet Versace coat from the Fall 2012 runway enriched by Swarovski crystal crosses.

Doutzen Kroes wore a Versace Fall 2012 black coat with flared skirt covered entirely in Swarovski crystals.

Bar Refaeli looked amazing in a fitted black leather cocktail dress with Swarovski crystals detailing with a matching leather jacket and black Versace booties.

Coco Rocha wore a black dress with metallic detailing from Versace Fall 2012 paired with black Versace Fall pointed toe pumps.

Alexa Chung here with Christopher Kane wore a look from the Versus Fall 2012 runway: a burgundy knit turtleneck top paired with a matching leather miniskirt.

Karolina Kurkova wore a black leather bomber jacket with intricate floral detailing with a pencil skirt with a matching pattern, paired with black Versace pumps and a black Versace clutch.

Leigh Lezark sporting a yellow cocktail dress with leather cutouts at the hem and on the side with a modern crescent shaped neckline. She completed her look with black Versace shoes.

Tali Lennox, daughter of Annie Lennox, wore a full look from Versus Fall 2012 – she looked fabulous in a fuchsia top, miniskirt, and huge fur coat. She completed her outfit with blue booties with fuchsia inserts.

Hunger Games star Alexander Ludwig chose a Fall 2012 look – he wore a blue floral printed suit with matching tie. He completed his look with Versace Fall boots with gold buckles and a black Versace belt with a medusa buckle.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

Continuing the theme of ‘portraits for successful living’, Diesel’s Screen Test F/W 2012 ad campaign puts fashion and strong personalities together to create a set of highly stylised performances to camera.

Iconic fashion photographer Steven Meisel creates the series of modern Screen Tests, featuring some of the most exciting contemporary models – Karen Elson, Hanne Gaby Odiele, Jamie Bochart, Fei Fei Sun, Coco Rocha, Mirte Maas, Sid Ellisdon, Ethan James, Yuri Pleskun, Sallieu Jalloh and Dae Na – inviting each character to enter his frame and role-play to the camera.

Each subject is engaged in a creative, playful act, expressing their individuality with confidence and attitude; props swiped from a dressing up box provide the riff for each invented persona. On digital screens the incorporation of animated cinemagraphs allows each image to come alive with the slightest movement.

In an irreverent grid layout, the characters become inadvertently connected and we see an accidental social network develop. A mix of styles and identities play against each other to create a singular, defiant, ‘Diesel attitude’.

In a global age of instant communication, Diesel presents a campaign beyond genre conventions. Taking cues from sophisticated high fashion as well as street style, the campaign mixes codes and references without fear or rules.

It is this ‘anything goes’ attitude to fashion that underpins this provocative and playful campaign, which will come to life in F/W 2012 with a 360° media approach, which will include print and online implementations, and a strong approach on social networks.

I like and you?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Diesel